Lunch counter construction



NOV. 24, 1931. w STAGE LUNCH COUNTER CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 10, i930 Patented Nov. 24, 1931 GEORGE W. STAGE, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN LUNCH COUNTER CONSTRUCTIQN Application filed February 10, 1930. Serial No. 427,251

This invention relates to a counter construction being particularly concerned with lunch counters. One primary object and purpose of the invention is to provide a simple, practical and economical construction of foot cated that it does not project in front of the,

rail at the outer side and lower portion of the counter upon which customers may rest their feet and which is so positioned and locounter within thelimits of the counter and is out of the way so "far as occupying addi-' tional space is concerned yet at the same time is very practical and effective as a lower rail rest for the feet of customers. A further object of the invention is to connect saidfoot rail in a simple and practical manner. A still further object of the invention is to provide the counter'with a novel, type of top particularly useful in connection with lunch 26 counters or tables.

understanding of the invention may be had from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich,

'. side of the counter, an

Fig. 1 is a perspective'view of the counter at the outer or front side thereof. v

' Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrative of the manner that the ends of t the foot rail are applied to the counter supporting feet .and carried and supported between the same. Fig. 8 is a perspective view similar to that shown in Fig. 1 of the opposite or inner rear perspective view of a corner for the top corners, of the v Fig. 4 is a finishing iron counter. r

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawings. i The counter includes in its structure a front panel 1, end panels 2 and vertical corner po'sts3, the front panel extending only part way down so that its lower edgeterminates a distance above the lower edge of the end panels. The bottom includes a downwardly and inwardly curved section 4 curved downwardly and inwardly substantially to the lower edges of the end panels and then extending horizontally to the rear as indicated at 5 (see Fig. 3), where it connects with a back bar or rail 6 forming a part of the rear structure of the counter. lVithin the counter construction thus formed and below the top, which will bedescribed later, various constructions for holding articles may be mounted, such as trays for silverware, drawers, bins and the like which may be widely varied and which specifically are in no way con cerned with the invention.

With this construction of counter, at its 0 lower portion and front outer side an open space extending the'full length of thec ounter is provided. At the bottom and at the front of said elongatedspace a foot railor bar 7 is mounted. Preferably the foot rail or bar 7 is of angle iron formation, having a horizontal inwardly extending flange or leg and a vertical downwardly extending flange. It is, however, to be understood that the bar or rail 7"may'be of any differenttype or character 7 in cross section and that'the particular and specific form shown is not essentially the only form in which the rail may be used. The ends of the bar have flat horizontally extending ears 8 which, with the form of bar shown in the drawing, are provided by cutting away portions of the vertical legs of the bar at its ends.

At the corners of the counter supporting feet 9 of the form shown are used, located di" rectly under the corner posts and attached thereto by means of wood screws 10 passing lengthwise of and upwardly through the feet 9 into the lower ends of the corner posts 3.

The front corner posts at their upper ends 8 are mortised, providing'shallow mortises 11 in which the tongues 8 at the ends of the foot rail bar 7 are received. The tongues have openings therethrough for the passageof the wood screws 10 whereby when the front foot the bottom of the counter is bent, the lower end of the curvedsection 13 being thence bent horizontally underneath the horizontal part of the bottom of the counter. This bracket, secured in place to the bar and to the bottom of the counter, strengthens and reinforces the counter and the foot rail as is evident.

Thetop 14 preferably comprises a wood bed covered with linoleum and having downwardly curve-d side and end edges 15 with border strips 16 around the same at the lower edges thereof to cover the ed 'es of the linoleum. The corners where the linoleumis fitted to the bed are preferably finished by corner irons as indicated at 17 These corner irons of metal include a tongue 18 which may be driven into the Wood bedof the table and flanges 19 overlapping the adjacent edges of the downturned sections of the linoleum, and an upper side 2() to extend over and aid in covering the dividing line or joint where the linoleum has tobe cut at the corners when turned down to provide the depending sections 15 thereof. I

The construction described isverypractical and satisfactory. The foot rail ;is not positioned out in front of the counter" but is located back of the faces of the front posts. It is therefore out of the way anddoes not interfere with positioning seatsproperly with reference to the counter. The space above and back of the foot rail permits customers to place their feet upon said rail without being interfered with by the counter bottom- "The manner of securingthe foot rail in place is very simple. practical and effective. The

being a distance above the lower edgesof said ends, a bottom extending from adjacent the lower edge of said outer side downwardly and inwardly for a distance, and a horizontal foot rail located between and supported by the ends of said counter adjacent the, lower portion thereof andbelow the lower edge of said outer side of the counter: 1

2; In a counter construction having a ver: tical outer side,ends and top with the lower .ed'geot'said outer side disposed a distance abovethe loweredges of said ends, corner posts at the corners of the counter, supporting feet below the lower ends of said corner posts, a bottom extending downwardly and inwardly from adjacent the loweredgeof said outer side of the counter, and a foot rail located horizontally between the corner posts and the outer side ofthe counter and secured between theupper ends of the supporting feet for said corner posts and the l'owerends of said corner posts.

said ends being 3. A counter construction including a vertical outer sideand spaced apart ends including corner posts at the corners of the'counter, supporting feet located one below the lower end of each corner post, screws passing vertically through said supporting feet and into the lower ends of the corner posts, a bottom for the counterextending from adjacent the lower edge of the outer side thereof downwardly and inwardly substantially to the lower edges of said ends and then extending horizontally inward, and a horizontal foot rail having flat' ends located between the lower ends of the corner posts at the outer side of the counter and the upper ends of the supporting feet below said corner posts, said screws passing through the; flat ends of the foot rail. I i f a .4. A counter construction having a vertical outersi-de, spaced apart vertical ends including cornercposts anda'top,the lo'wer'edge of the outer side ofthe, counter being a distance above the lower edges of said ends, a bottom to said' counter extending downwardly and inwardly fromadj acent the'lower edge of said outer side to adjacent the lower edges of said ends and thence extending inward horizontally, supporting feet one below the lower end of each corner post the supporting feet below the lower ends of the outer corner posts having mortised recesses in their upper ends, a horizontal foot rail having flat ears at its ends concealed in said'recesses and disposed between'the outer supporting feet and screws passing upwardly through said supporting feet into the low-er ends of the corner posts and through said end ears ofthefoot rail. i

5. A counter construction including a vertical outer side, a top, spaced apart vertical ends having corner posts, the lower edges of located a distance below the lower edge; of the outer side of the counter, a bottom extending downwardly and inward ly from adjacent the lower edge of said outer side of the counter to adjacent the lower edges of said ends and hence extending horizontally inward, supporting feet located one below the lower end ofeachcorner post, the supporting feet below. the outer corner posts having mortised recesses in their upper sides, and a foot rail of angle iron form having'a horizontal and a vertical flange. the vertical flange being cut away adjacent each end whereby the, ends of the horizontal flange. provide fiat ears received within said mortised recesses, and securing means passing upwardly through the foot members and through said fiat ears into'fthe lower'ends of the corner posts.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE w. STAGE. 

